Venue support from Coastal Community Credit Union.

More Short Notes: 

• Graham Orr, Iris Loots, Cameron Meldrum, Lea Cicon, Ross Greenwood, Claire Townsend, Katja Verkerk, Charlee Alleyn.  8 out of 11 winners at the Victoria Cyclocross GP had one thing in common. They were ALL on the top step of the podium for the FIRST TIME at COTR!
• Get registered for Coal Cross!
• Katja Verkerk (2nd overall in Open women CotR 2023) won the 2024 Elite Women’s Canadian National Gravel Championships in AB. She is off to the Gravel World Championships in Belgium in 3 weeks.
• Izaiah Sheerin lost his GARMIN Edge 530 at Topaz Park during his race.  It did not show up in the lost and found but if you found it let us know and we will try to reunite it with Izaiah.
• The registration for Twin City X in Port Alberni should be approved and live in the next day.  The MUC OFF CUP will be close to follow.
• We are working on a multi-race-in one day discount like we used to be able to do when we were with Race Roster.  We will keep you posted.
• Racing Men’s Supermasters?  We have new 2024 stickers for the front of your helmet to help with timing when there are 100+ dudes on the course.  Come and get one from registration on Sunday or at the next race you are at (if you have already raced this year)

1. Race #2 Preview.  Coal Cross in Cumberland!

The furthest race north on Vancouver Island is legendary.  The first Comox Valley race at the Hostel and Puntledge was 75 min for 1st place and still stands at 6th place for most DNF’s % in a race!  That race was won by Troy Woodburn and 2nd place was a world cup MTB and Olympic racer Andreas Hestler.  Well Andreas will be back this weekend racing at Coal Cross for the first time since 2006 and only his 4th Cross on the Rock Race.  The difference this time will be it will be a family race day with his son making his COTR debut in the Launch category! 
Registration is OPEN until 6:00 Saturday night.  Then it is CLOSED.  So do NOT leave it until 5:59pm on Saturday as you will not get registered!

The Course: Some slight modifications to last year’s course are in the works, but expect a fast and mostly flat course for race #2 of the Muc Off – COTR season. Village Park is hosting us again with one of the best COTR courses, local sponsors: Biblio Taco, Blue Toque, Trail Bicycles, and Easton/Raceface will be supporting our event with great prizes along with our series sponsors.

This event supports the Trail Bicycles youth race team as well.  The weather forecast looks good, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all there. 

You only need to pick up a number if you have not raced in race #1 OR if you lost your race number (Bring $5 cash for a replacement)

As always if everyone can pitch it to tear down and pack up then we can be doing awards and on our way quicker.

Also note: Biblio Taco should OPEN this Sunday.

2. Race #1 Review. Victoria Cyclocross Grand Prix p/b Pro City and Tripleshot. WHAT AN EVENT!!

Notes from Race Director Scott Mitchell.

Another awesome day for Cyclocross in Victoria. It was great to see so many people out for the season opener and the weather was pretty perfect for racing.  I couldn’t believe how many kids came out and raced, I’m sure we will see many of them racing and standing atop podiums in the future. Can’t believe how fast the course came down, that was such a relief after a long day of directing and racing. Thanks to all that helped clean up!

There were several key volunteers that deserve a BIG THANK YOU!

Kevin from Tripleshot rallied a great crew of volunteers to make this event happen, but we also saw several last minute helpers jump in to make the event run smooth. 

Lister deserves a big thanks for finding a loophole in the City Construction plans and getting us a foot in the door to get a permit less than 3 weeks before the event.  (Norm’s note…..this is a much longer story than once sentence!)

The course crew, Cory, Kevin, Kyle, James, Michelle, Mark, Jasper, Amy, Hugh, Griffin, Rowan, Andy and here were more….sorry if I missed ya.

Also the critical number trackers in the registration and timing tents, Patrick, Coleen, Ross, Clay, Matt, Kimberly, Tendo, Robin, Christy, Brandy, Kevin, and Jasper,  not an easy job but a job well done.

Dave and Kimberly thanks for hosting the Beginner Clinic!

I’m sure there were several more that pitched in in all aspects of the day and I’m sorry if I missed you.

The City of Victoria Parks Department hasn’t complained…… fingers crossed….. so please respect the area and keep away with your cross bike.  Although this might be the last Topaz race, we say that often…..  We will certainly try and race at Topaz again if the park renovations allow for enough course.  

As always Norm is the super industrial glue that holds these events together.  Its amazing to see his family out following his lead and helping with the events throughout the day. They are always calm and collected, organized, and deserve so much credit for the success of this event and the entire series.  Thanks Thibault Family!

Big thanks to Trek Bikes Victoria for supplying swag including a sweet Trek Wahoo 24” Kids bike.  Support your local bike shop because they support these fun events!

Norm’s Notes: 

• Thanks to Kimbery and Dave for leading the pre-ride and again to Kimberly for leading the Riverway Dental Hot lap.
• Overhearing conversations at Topaz Park when we were riding around…..man people were EXCITED for cyclocross and to have the series going!
• Heading north with the COTR trailer we spotted bikes with their new timing chips all over the place from Mayfair mall to Chemanus.
• So great to see SO MANY first time winners at this race!!  The more different winners the better (in my opinion)
• How did Evan not melt in that long sleeve skin suit?

It is about the community.  Racing.  Respect.  Repeat.
Remember to recommend COTR to people that ride and bring a friend out to race!!

Coming Up SOON:

MUC OFF – Cross on the Rock 2023.
Newsletter #9 – No Laps to go!

The Series Final Edition.

Thank you for racing local and supporting Cross on the Rocks.
It is all of you that make this a unique and awesome race series!!

Last of the season notes:

• LOTS of activity on our socials as always.  Racer interviews.  Reels.  Photos….keep an eye on those through the 9 months of the year when there are no newsletters.  They will keep you up to date!
• While this is the last newsletter for the season we will try to put together a tiny survey for the series and send out next week.  We KNOW that for some reason EVERYTHING has a survey now (today we got asked to fill out a survey on how good BC Hydro is/is not….like we have a choice?) but we HOPE to get a good number of responses to share with sponsors and shape the direction of the series.  Keep an eye out for that please!
• Lost and found.  We have reunited a few people with their lost gear this week.  Pumps.  Shoes.  Shorts….all making their way to their owners.  We will have the bin one last time at the National Championships in the morning and then for the men’s elite races if you want to pick up or check the box over.  Last chance then it goes to good will, recycling or the landfill.
• We will bring some of the series awards that were not picked up at the awards to next weekend’s national champs.  If you did not get your award…..please check with us and we will try to get it to you!

1. Special thanks to our sponsors.

Our MAIN PRIZING SPONSOR with the Muc Off Cup, Prizing for all of the races and the final AND support at three events this season including organizing a water tanker for the final was Peter Creighton from HLC Bike.  Peter has supported our events since 2004.  We would not be the series we are without his support.  When you see him at events or at the bike shop ALWAYS thank him as he has earned it.

The Muc Off Tent always looks PRO

Hotel ZED and Accent Ann for great draw prizes and our MEGA grand prize.  A Great community partner that supports our series!

Super Masters Men’s Category Sponsors Jack Mar from Island Cycles on Quadra.  We hope to see Jack racing again one day but in the meantime he comes to the races to visit, watch, deliver prizes and socialize.  Jack is retiring from his bike shop so if anyone from the supermasters group wants to take on the opportunity of impressing this group with super prizes at our events please let us know.

Frontrunners who let me race and organize these events.  Cyclocross racers need to run so come see us for some runners, gym shoes, blunstones, Glerups or HOKA for people that need that extra cushion (cyclists).

Goodr Sunglasses.  We just got this GREAT sponsor this year through their Canadian Distributor only to find out that the distributor in changing for 2024…..darn it!

Wade Luksay from Riverway Dental sponsoring the kids Hot Lap prizing for the season again!  (And Wendy Simms for always keeping an eye out for what would be good prizing and within our budget every time she heads out for errands).

Kyle Denny from 11 Speed Coffee covering the Last Not Lapped (AKA most in need of coffee) and some series draw prizes.

Event Bike shop sponsors, Big Grin Bikes, Broad Street Cycles, Rock City Cycles, Cycle Therapy, Coal City Cycles and Trail Bikes.

Our race directors this year: Roy Kregoski, Brett and Tom, Corey and Sean, Roland, Matt and Mark, Patrick, Leslie and Shep.

Clubs: Arrowsmith Bike Club, Trail Bikes Club, Rock City Cycles Team, Broad Street Cycles, Cycle Therapy and MIVA

Awards: Roland Rabien, Paul Brend and Victoria Waterjet.

Stats, Results and Timing team: Patrick and Roland (again)

Web site: Brett and Roland (again).

The series is what it is because of these businesses and individuals.  We sincerely thank them!

2. CoweX Series Final Review

Patrick’s Photo Link from CoweX

Norm’s Notes:  Throughout the 17 season history there are certain races that are talked about over and over.  Previous to this year most recently it was the 2021 Atmospheric River during the master men’s race at the Muc Off Cup.  Previous to that there was the last race at Shawnigan Lake School with the downhill “WALL”.  In 2014 we had the Kona Kup which was held at Beban Park (We posted photos of this in the last newsletter).  14.5% of the field DNF’ed.  There was one race that trumped them all though.  In 2009 we held a race at Slugget Farms in Central Saanich called “Children of the Corn”.  It literally went through a corn field and the expert race was held in a downpour.  Pro City Cycles built an up and over/and under.  The under turned into a beer garden during the race.  It was a double header with the Bob Cameron Cross at Laryritz Park.  For anyone that raced that on that day….maybe lost a shoe that is still there in the field….they will remember it.  CoweX will take on that sort of memory.  We are SO LUCKY to have been able to race a rare heavy course like we saw last Sunday.  Most land owners would not like us so much but the Cowichan Ex. were OK with it!!  A huge opportunity to practice skills that we don’t normally get to do and a reminder that Cyclocoss is a sport that involves riding a bike AND running!!

Race notes from the race director Matt from Cycle Therapy:

Well that was fun!

Thanks everyone for joining us at the Cowichan Exhibition.  This COTR season was missing some mud so we decided to make up for it all at once!

Special thanks to our committed organizing team of Mark Law, Doug Merrick and Pete Stevenson.  Without your help and vision this even would have simply not happened.

Thanks to our course setup team of Mark, Doug, Pete, Trevor, Darren, Robin, Evan, Tim and my lovely wife Heather for standing out in the rain for hours setting up the course (I swear the weather report said it would be sunny).

Thanks to Heather and Sarah for running the registration once again.

Thanks to Emmett and Jemima for helping Patrick with manual timing (I will get more volunteers next year Patrick!).

Thanks to Peter Creighton from HLC Bike for coming out and putting that pressure washer to good use.

Thanks to Taco Revolution and Phat Bastard Eats for keeping us all fed.  Special thanks to Dan from Coffee on the Moon for coming out last minute and delivering free coffee!

Thanks to Cycle Therapy Bicycles and Mike from Trek for all the great draw prizes.

Thanks to the Cowichan Exhibition for allowing us to tear up your fields.

And last but not least thanks to Norm and the rest of the COTR team for trusting us to put on the series finale!  We hope everyone had fun!

Matt Grossnickle
Cycle Therapy

3. Series Winners
Each of our races have 10 categories BUT at each event there always the race within the races.  The series has 20 categories for overall victory.

There are the winners for the season in each category and their points.  Some of the categories were VERY CLOSE!!

Big congratulations to all the podium finishers for the season and a special shout out to Charlotte Tai who just started racing this season (had never raced anything before) and came out to all the Airhouse-Rock City Cycles practices to finish 2nd for Launch women!

Category

Broad Street Breakaway.  2023 Team of the year.

4. The SUPER GRAND PRIZE Winner.

Somewhere in our notes that are still in the registration box we have the NAME of the grand prize winner!!  I am sure at some point they will contact us.  In the meantime…..here is their photo.  I am sure someone knows who this lucky COTR racer is!!

Hotel Zed has been a huge supporter of our series over the years.  From their amazing cycling jerseys for their women’s club to providing room nights for draw prizes.  This year they have taken it up a BIG notch providing an AMAZING vacation in Tofino.  NOT at their super cool Hotel Zed but at their exclusive water front Hotel Zed Tofino Cottage located next to Hotel Zed.  4 Nights!

CHECK OUT THE AMAZING LISTING HERE

If you are traveling to any town/city where there is a Hotel Zed or Accent Inn and you need a place to stay.  Stay there!!

The CoweX Series Final Preview Edition.

We have come to the last race of the Muc Off Cross on the Rock race season.  We hope to see as many of you out there as humanly possible on Sunday.  It looks and smells like it will be muddy!!!  We have not had “real mud” this year so this is going to be a great opportunity to practice your mud skills and have a great time racing!!  After the racing we will do as quick a clean up as possible so that we can roll into the race and series awards as fast as possible.  Bring wash up stuff and warm clothes!  Thank you for racing local and supporting Cross on the Rocks.  It is all of you that make this a unique and awesome race series!!

Some super important information:
BEFORE THIS WEEKEND:

• When you register make sure your TEAM NAME is correct!  Check your past results.  Has someone edited it for you?  Check the TEAM STANDINGS.  Make sure your name is the same that is posted on the TEAM STANDINGS!!  If your team name or anything is not correct EDIT it before Sunday!
• This is what the series standings are currently with your lowest race dropped.  Have a look.  Take a look at those in front of you.  Take a look at those behind you.  Those are the battles for Sunday!!  Ties in points go to whomever was ahead in the last race. There are some TIGHT battles for the series!
• For the series we are doing:  Top Boy and Top Girl for the Hot Lappers.  Top 3 in each of the other categories INCLUDING MEGA MASTERS which is the new 70+ Men’s category for the series.  If you are in the top 3 please plan on attending the awards as we will not hunt you down to give you a sweet trophy by Paul Brend and some great Muc Off products.
• Registration is OPEN for CoweX and you can link it here. AS ALWAYS it will be CLOSED at 6:00 on Saturday.  Don’t say “oh I did not know that”!!

PAN AM Cyclocross Championships!!  Super awesome to see our COTR racers take on a higher level UCI event!!
Natalie Wright taking home a silver medal in the Masters women’s category!
ELITE JUNIOR WOMEN’S Sidney Swierenga (13th), Eleanor Winchell (15th), Geza Rodgers (16th), Kimberly Chen (17th)
ELITE JUNIOR MEN’S Oscar Wong (25th),
U23 MEN Cody Scott (9th), Soren Weselake (19th)
ELITE MEN  Evan Russell (6th), Fabian Merino (17th)

1. CoweX Series Final Preview!!

Awards for the race and then the series will follow clean up which will follow the OPEN races!  Please help us clean up as quickly as possible so we can get the awards rolling!

Location: Cowichan Exhibition Park – 7380 Trans-Canada Hwy, Duncan, BC V9L 6B1
-55 minute drive from Victoria
-33 minute drive from Nanaimo
-Right off the highway North of Duncan

Parking: (SEE THE MAP) There is a HUGE parking area.  Look for the signs on the right immediately as you enter the exhibition.  We have overflow parking if needed but doubtful it will be. Do NOT park where you should NOT park!  Please do not drive up into the race venue to park as space up there will be tight.

Registration: If you need to register or switch your category it will be located at the Stratford Room.  Washrooms will also be around the same building, try not to wear your muddy CX shoes.  We are expecting A LOT of mud this weekend (finally) and the cleaner we leave the washrooms the better.  There is also a second washroom located near the Exhibition Office that will be open.

Team Tents: See the attached map.  The pits will be located close by the team tents as well.

Course:  Think grass, hills, MUD, tractor pull, sawdust and some climbing (not quite Bowen).  It will be a bit more of a traditional European style course with plenty of COTR flair thrown in for good measure.  We are bringing back a SWEEEEET feature from COTR races of the past.  You will have to be there to see it.  The run up will also remain from 2022!

Taco’s:  The Taco Revolution Food Truck and Phat Bastard Eats Burger Truck will be on site for all your post and pre-race taco needs. TACOS and BURGERS!!!

Warming Up:  We are not the only group using the park that day so please refrain from riding around the taped off main grounds as we don’t want Cyclist’s riding around where cars are present.

Bike Wash:  We will have a Muc Off pressure washer for racers to use and clean up afterwards.

Prizing: Prizing and awards will be provided by Cycle Therapy Bikes in Duncan, Eleven Speed Coffee, Goodr, Hotel Zed and Muc Off!!  Plus Riverway Dental for the Hot Lappers!

STUDY THIS MAP LIKE YOUR RACE DEPENDED UPON IT!!

2. (Reprint in case you missed it) The SUPER GRAND PRIZE for 2023!!

YOU MUST BE THERE TO WIN!!

There were a few mentions of the GRAND PRIZE reveal for the season at the last event.  The way the grand prize always works is:

1. Every time you race your name gets entered for the prize.  If you race once you are entered once.  If you do the full series you are entered 6 times.
2. You have to be there at the final awards at the END to win the prize.  That is when we draw for it.
3. Sorry but the LITTLE kids are not eligible for this prize.  So not the Riverway Dental Hot Lappers or the little nutcase racers.  You have to have raced an “adult” category.

Hotel Zed has been a huge supporter of our series over the years.  From their amazing cycling jerseys for their women’s club to providing room nights for draw prizes.  This year they have taken it up a BIG notch providing an AMAZING vacation in Tofino.  NOT at their super cool Hotel Zed but at their exclusive water front Hotel Zed Tofino Cottage located next to Hotel Zed.  4 Nights!

CHECK OUT THE AMAZING LISTING HERE

This prize is worth $4000-$8000 depending on time of the year.  No black out dates BUT you have to book it separately which we will give you the contact information.

SEASON #17 COTR Schedule

Hot Crossed Bunnies wrap up and other SUPER important news.

The FULL CoweX race preview will be out in the newsletter and on our web site later this week.  We had way too much news to share to wait so have a read through over the weekend as you listen to the rain come down and watch the highlights and results from Pan Am Championships where Eleanor Wiinchell and possibly other COTR racers are?  As well as the Euro Champs in Pont Chateau which was the first World Championships we went to in 2004.  What an experience that was!!

Small segments of COTR information:

• If you need a sweet bike for a small or JR racer I have been asked to share this one from COTR racer Tanya Binette.  A super nice Trek Crockett.  We don’t normally share B&S stuff but this is a super deal and we would love to see if under one of our upcoming JR racers!
• Registration is OPEN for CoweX and you can link it here.  We have tried our best to keep the entry fees the same as previous years but EVERYTHING IS COSTING MORE.  Venues and first aid have in some cases doubled from 2022.  Everything from caution tape to vandalism has gone up.  Last year the CoweX venue was very expensive as well.  We had to pop the registration up $2 for the last race to help cover some of this extra expense for the finals.  Remember registration closes at 6:00pm the night before the race.  The last race we had 12 people miss the cut off and were scrambling.
• Hopefully you are on our socials and had a chance to watch the finish like short interview with Open Women’s winner last weekend Marin Lowe and the clip of the masters men start from Tom Skinner.  If you are NOT on our socials….check them out!
• Check your results.  Check your team name.  Make sure everything is correct.  IF IT IS NOT then hit that link at the top of the page and let the stats masters know.  We want to have as few errors going into the series final as possible!!

1. The SUPER GRAND PRIZE for 2023!!
There were a few mentions of the GRAND PRIZE reveal for the season at the last event.  The way the grand prize always works is:

1. Every time you race your name gets entered for the prize.  If you race once you are entered once.  If you do the full series you are entered 6 times.
2. You have to be there at the final awards at the END to win the prize.  That is when we draw for it.
3. Sorry but the LITTLE kids are not eligible for this prize.  So not the Riverway Dental Hot Lappers or the little nutcase racers.  You have to have raced an “adult” category.

Hotel Zed has been a huge supporter of our series over the years.  From their amazing cycling jerseys for their women’s club to providing room nights for draw prizes.  This year they have taken it up a BIG notch providing an AMAZING vacation in Tofino.  NOT at their super cool Hotel Zed but at their exclusive water front Hotel Zed Tofino Cottage located next to Hotel Zed.  4 Nights!

CHECK OUT THE AMAZING LISTING HERE

This prize is worth $4000-$8000 depending on time of the year.  No black out dates BUT you have to book it separately which we will give you the contact information.

2. Hot Crossed Bunnies. Race #5 – Review

Flemming Sorvin snapped some photos of the LAUNCH category at Hot Crossed Bunnies.  You can check them out here!
Patrick’s photos from Hot Crossed Bunnies.

Race Director Patrick Burnham’s notes.

What a difference a couple of weeks can make.  After years of this being a November event it was a welcome change to have a warm dry race course.  For comparison here are a couple of photos from years past.

2015.  Pre-Steve Smith Bike park.

2021

Beyond the weather we’re very fortunate to have a venue like this available to us.  It isn’t the easiest to schedule an event here as we have to work with three major stakeholders in the park. The Vancouver Island Exhibition, Nanaimo Equestrian Asscociation and City of Nanaimo were all very helpful in letting us hold our event here.  Also making the event happen were the board members of Mid Island Velo arranging permits and port-a-potties. Contacting food trucks and wrangling volunteers to put it all together.  Huge thanks need to go to current President Christine Schilling for leading the charge behind the scenes.  For this years course, if you got lost in the big field on the top corner, Shep Stewart is the man to thank for that.  He spent plenty of hours on his computer mapping that out and piecing the course together for us.

Sip and Sliders food truck was out again for the second year in a row making sure everyone had something to eat.  Those were the best fries I’ve had in a long time.

And Norms favorite prize of the year once again from Georgies Pies.  She went above and beyond with three different flavors for first second and third place.  They’re so good.

Additional prizes were provided by long time supporters Rock City Cycles and Coal City Cycles who have been helping with this race and series for years.

We also can’t forget the man in the Muc-Off tent Pete Creighton who does so much behind the scenes to help make this event happen.  He didn’t need to turn it on but he was here and ready with his pressure washer to help out.  This series wouldn’t be the same without him.

Finally, Thank you to all the racers who came out and made this event so special and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the series finals at the Cowichan Exhibition grounds next week.

SEASON #17 COTR Schedule
DONE AND DUSTY – September 10th. Season opener in Cumberland at Coal Cross.
PERFECT FALL DAY – October 1st. Cross on the Commons in Qualicum.
NOT quite as rainy as we LOVE but still awesome – October 9th. Nanaimo. Bowen park.
Once again this was a GREAT event – October 15th Triple Shot Cross fondo.
October 22nd. Broad Street Cycles GP at the Jordie Lunn Bike Park.
October 29th. Hot Crossed Bunnies at Beban Park in Nanaimo
November 12th. CoweX series final at the Cowichan Fair Grounds!!

Bonus material for making it this far.
Season #18 COTR Preliminary Schedule
Mark these dates on your calendar for the fall of 2024 so that you remember to NOT book a work conference, concert, dentist appointment or anything else!!  The Council of Cross will be BUSY getting all the details set.  All you have to do is ride your bike with friends.  Practice your skills and be ready for Season #18
September 15th.  Series will kick off with Race #1
September 29th.  We will be racing someplace on the island for Race #2.
Fast and furious Race #3 will be on October 6th.
Most likely Bowen Park again on our traditional date of Thanksgiving Monday which next year is October 14th for Race #4
October 20th is Cross Fondo
We are not 100% sure on the rest of the dates but likely we will be racing on the 17th of October in costumes.
Into November mark the 3rd off with an extra hour of sleep that night and finish the season off on the island on the 17th!!

OTHER CYCLOCROSS of importance for 2023
So good to see more group practices happening this fall.  Lets work to keep building those up.  Let us know if you have a practice and we will promote it on the newsletter!

Nanaimo Cross Practices : Done for the season.

Victoria Cross Club : Done for the season

Cowichan Cross Practices: Done for the season?

Comox Valley Cross Practices: Done for the season

Provincial Championships. The Thrashers bike club will be putting this event on the THIRD weekend in November in Chilliwack.  This is the weekend between the COTR finals and the National Championships in Victoria.  Perfect time to dial in your fitness.  Sounds like they are going to have some youth categories which is a small step in the right direction.  Still using the really silly UCI age rule for those categories…..small steps….

Cyclocross National Championships are going to be November 24-25-26.  So far we have not seen the event take up the suggestions that were put forth last year.

Parting Shot
In any sport there are always “those people” that jump in and help out at a moments notice.  We are lucky at Cross on the Rock to have a number of “those people”.  One of them is the manager of the Airhouse in Nanaimo.  Any Hamilton.  He is always ready to take some kids around the course, jump in to lead the Riverway Dental Hot lap races, move something heavy and also sponsor the kids race prizes for the Muc Off Cup.  Then he goes and races OPEN!  One of the few people in open in costume!  Always taking it out HARD.  Thanks Andy and all of our other “those people” that step in to help make the series great.